


Gratefulness is the first sign of Affection

by Effenay



Series: Time Tests its Waters (Sherlolly) [1]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M, Internal Monologue, Post-Reichenbach, sleeping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-28
Updated: 2017-01-28
Packaged: 2018-09-18 08:25:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9376625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Effenay/pseuds/Effenay
Summary: "Difficult as he was to her, she manages to hold her ground in keeping things up. She had already proven her usefulness to him in the long run, aware of her admiration and affection towards him. He entertained her affections in hopes of an easier access to speed up investigations. But to an extent, that was his first mistake. The more she waltzed to his tunes so willingly despite her being aware of being used, the more he saw qualities in her that not only took him by surprise, but qualities that slowly etched within the safe-halls of his mind palace."Set on the night before Sherlock leave London to take down Moriarty's network.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I can't decided whether this should be part of a series or a multi-chapter fic. Or even leave it like a one-shot. I don't even know if this is considered a ship fic cause it feels more prologue-ish as well as being a bit of an interpretation of what it must have been like before he left London. But as the title mentions, its more or less likely a prelude to Sherlolly material... in a sense.

In his wake, he observed the little details that Molly's flat had to offer. Little things that reflected her interests as well as the kind of lifestyle that she's been living with. She didn't impose, despite the clear concerns she's had with the decision he's made. He was grateful, but it took him a little while to realize it.

Difficult as he was to her, she manages to hold her ground in keeping things up. She gave him her own bedroom, whilst she was willing to sleep in the spare bedroom; giving him the much needed space he needed after all the chaos that ensued earlier.

James Moriarty is Dead. Sherlock Holmes is pronounced dead. What happens afterwards would without a doubt be one of the most difficult cases he's yet to face. Taking down the criminal network of the consulting criminal. In order for him to do that, he needed to disappear.

That was where Molly came in.

She had already proven her usefulness to him in the long run, aware of her admiration and affection towards him. He had no means of investing his time to her affections as he considered himself married to his work rather than having a relationship as a prominent focus on the future. Instead he entertained to her affections in hopes of an easier access to speed up investigations.

To an extent, that was his first mistake.

The more she waltzed to his tunes so willingly despite her being aware of being used, the more he saw qualities in her that not only took him by surprise, but qualities that slowly etched within the safe-halls of his mind palace.

Of course, he could always count on Mycroft to do the dirty work in order for him to disappear. But upon realizing that aside from his homeless network, Molly was truly the only person whom Moriarty hadn't pointed his gun towards. He took advantage of the situation, that of all possible outcomes in order to bring down Moriarty once and for all, the best possible route to take was for him to die. And what better way to do so than to have Molly, do his records for him.

As the hours of the night passed him by, he quietly prepared himself to leave, remembering how Mycroft had arranged for him to take a flight out of the country to begin his mission. Sherlock opened the door as he exited, only to be greeting by Molly's feline roommate curling around his leg.

_Toby was his name wasn't it?_

He picked up the feline moved it aside as he strode towards the door. Under the clear moonlight that seeped through the windows, he saw the silhouette of the sleeping pathologist, her arms folded on top of the table for her head to rest on. Her shoulders heaved with every sleeping breath, just a few centimeters away from her arms were papers of his autopsy records. A little curious of what she had written for his autopsy, he strode towards her and picked up one of the written pieces of loose leafs next to her.

To the very end, she wouldn't leave a stone un-turned for his sake. Admirable, and impressed of the details that she filled out to cover his tracks under his brother's instructions. Unknowingly, he smirked at the details she had covered, every broken bone, every hemorrhage that a fall could give a dead man; he truly was impressed of the extent of the lie she had to write. The way she wrote it was neither exaggerated, nor was it too underwhelming enough to arouse suspicion. 

He returned the piece of paper onto the table's surface, positioning it in the way he had first found it just so that she wouldn't find out he had read what she had to say. Turning towards her, he observed the little details on her small frame. It was obvious that she wanted to see him before he would leave, judging by the bruises under her eyes, not to mention that based on the coffee residue, she must have refilled it twice as she waited for him.

_'I don't care,'_ he recalled her saying to him.  _'If there's anything you need-'_

Toby then jumped onto the table, was about to crawl towards its master until Sherlock reached for the feline once more.

"Not now Toby, you'll wake her up," he chided at it silently.

A low groan escaped her lips as she shifted slightly.

Sherlock paused briefly for a moment then sighed in relief the moment Molly's shoulders heaved evenly. Placing the feline onto the cat bed, he then strode towards the door and made one last look at the sleeping woman.

"Until next time, Molly Hooper."

Having said the words, he left her flat and manually locked it shut. Molly scuffled a little as she lifted her head from the table and turned her head towards the direction of the door, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.

The feline mewed at her, she in turned smiled tiredly as she spoke;

"Thanks Toby, for letting me know."

**Author's Note:**

> I am currently sick and so I had to cut the whole thing short before this draft will be erased... leave a comment or kudos if you like I am all open to all criticisms.


End file.
